DURHAM — Chipper Jones arrived with much fanfare to play for the Durham Bulls as a 19-year-old shortstop.

He was adored again in his first return in 21 years to the Bull City on Tuesday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, where his No. 10 jersey was retired.

Jones downplayed his accomplishments with the Bulls, but gushed about the impact of the season in the Carolina League as he climbed through the Atlanta Braves system.

“It seems like worlds ago,” he said of his time with the then-Class A affiliate. “I think I only hit .270 when I was here. I did hit the Bull once for a steak. … I know (this honor) is as much about what I did when I was out of here.”

Jones rose all the way to a career producing Hall of Fame credentials with the Braves, mostly as a third baseman.

He looked back on his time with the Bulls, then playing in 1992 at old Durham Athletic Park

“This is the greatest place to play minor-league baseball in America,” he said. “I thought this was one of the best places to play minor-league baseball and now coming back 21 years later it’s even better.”

Now Durham is home to the Tampa Bay Rays’ top affiliate. This marked Jones’ first return to Durham since he was called up to Class AA Greenville (S.C.) for the latter part of what was a half-season with the Bulls.

So the pregame celebration, which drew a crowd of 10,577 for the Bulls / Charlotte Knights game, had the tone and tenor of a Braves pep rally.

“Braves country is strong in all parts,” Jones said.

Jones was driven around the warning track atop a Porsche convertible to a standing ovation, many fans wearing No. 10 Atlanta Braves jerseys.

Four of Jones’ Durham teammates and then-Bulls pitching coach Matt West took part in the ceremony.

“He was always ready to do whatever it took to win a ball game,” pitcher Mike Potts.

It’s the fourth number retired by the Bulls, and the second belonging to a player. Joe Morgan (No. 18) was the other.

“We all knew he was a very modest guy, although very sure of himself,” West said of Jones.

Prior to the ceremony, Jones shared stories about his time with the Bulls, recalling how as a switch hitter he was always anxious to bat from the left side with the cozy right-field fence at the old ballpark.

His Bulls roommate was third baseman Tim Gillis, and Jones referred to him as a good influence. Jones was preparing for his first marriage, often absorbing wedding plans set for shortly after the season.

His time with the Bulls came during a period Jones referred to as the heyday of Duke men’s basketball, with Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley and Grant Hill on the scene. Jones said he remembered going to Halftyme Table & Tap, a Durham hangout at the time, after games and seeing Duke players.

Page 2 of 2 - “I thought that was the coolest thing on the planet,” he said.

But most of his time with the Bulls centered on baseball. He was a self-described “defensive project,” knowing there was an emphasis on improving his fielding.

“I had an apartment here some place in town and you woke up and couldn’t wait to get to the field,” he said.

Jones, who was the first overall selection in the 1990 draft, said it was a prospect-filled era as he made his way through the Atlanta system. His big-league debut came in September 1993.

“The Atlanta Braves organization put a good product out on the field,” he said.

Through the years, he said he pauses when coming across the movie “Bull Durham,” pointing out it’s a good representation of reality in the minors.

Current Bulls pitcher C.J. Riefenhauser caught the ceremonial first pitch from Jones, who threw a high fastball.

Jones retired after last season, capping a 19-year big-league career – all with Atlanta — that included more than 2,700 hits. His No. 10 was retired with the Braves in June.

“I think a lot of people thought I was going to struggle with retirement,” said Jones, who threw the ceremonial first pitch for this year’s Braves home opener and felt tinges of missing the game. “I got up the next day and said, ‘Thank God I don’t have to go to the ballpark.’ “

But he seemed happy to be back in Durham for another night.

Tuesday’s game

Chris Gimenez’s go-ahead single in the fifth inning held up in Durham’s 5-4 victory against Charlotte, reducing the Bulls’ magic to one needed to clinch the International League’s East Division.

The second-place Norfolk Tides lost earlier in the day to the Columbus Clippers.

Charlotte scored three runs on four hits in the fourth inning. Bulls reliever Chris Geltz (5-3) was the winner with 2 1/3 shutout innings. Josh Lueke and Kirby Yates each pitched a shutout inning.

Durham’s Mike Fontenot homered to lead off the bottom of the fourth. Kevin Kiermaier tripled twice, driving in a run on the first one and scoring the second time on Tim Beckham’s triple. Vince Belnome followed with an RBI double in the fourth.